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^^ TS it fit that I should infuse a bunch of myrrh into the festi- 
J^ val goblet, and after the Egyptian manner serve up a dead 
man's bones at the feast ? I will only show it, and take it 
away again, and it will make the wiiie bitter but wholesome. Thos«^ 
married pairs that live as remembering that they must part again, 
shall at the day of their death be admitted to glorious espousals."— 

JEREMY TAYLOR. 



ii ri IVE my kindest love to my dear wife, and tell her that the uh- 

^^ common union, which has so long subsisted between us, has 

been of such a nature, as I trust is spiritual, and therefore 

will continue forever : and I hope she will be supported under so 

great a trial, and submit cheerfully to the will of God." — 

FRESIORM EDWARDS' LAST MESSAGE TO HIS WIFE. 



miitlj l^is Permission, 

Eo Jgonoratile Secretat]) Sag, 

l^istortan, Statesman, diplomat, 
Poet, iFrientJ» 












ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 




^ « « c 



ms Is tuv mnt^ birthday t atid 
nirs* edujards, mv mother, 
b«9S bad mc stitcl) ti?c$e $u»s 
}^] dry sbeets of paper Into a 
book to make me a fotsruaS* 
IHetbinks, almost all tbis family keep 
fournals : tboisgb tbey seldom sbou^ 
But tnrs« €dwards is to see 
., because sbe ueeds to ktiow 
Di^betber 1 improve in composing; also, 
wbelber 1 am leartiiug to keep my beart 
witb an diligence, in wbicb we are all 
constrained to be engaged* c « 

€bere bas been a great religious 
awakening bere among tbe cbildren* 
One of my littfle mates, Pboebe Bartlett, 
only a few years older tban myself, 
seems to be a wonderful €bristian, and 
bas been one, ever since sbe was four 
years of age« So lllr* €dwards, my 
fatber, tbinks* 1 do not expect to be 











^If 10 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 4'^ 

4'^ 4.|. 

^ $ucl9 a Christian as tl)att but! want to ^^ 

^1^ be a real onct and wbcn 7 am unzcn^ ^\a 

Z ltlr« Edwards says 1 may unite with tbe z 

^If people of 6odt wbzct? is a ^ery un- 4l§^ 

^ common tbing for children to do, tbougb . ^ 

^T be believes tbcy may* .Hnd yet be is T^j^^ 

^■> very strict in bis notions about sucb «,^ 

^'^ tbindSt believing tbat no person sbould ^'3^ 

^1^ be a cburcb=membery wbo has not been 4|^ 

J born of tbe Ooly 6bost, in wbicb be ^ 

^If differs from some of tbe parisb, wbo ^l^^ 

X bave been instructed otherwise* i 

If ^^. 4^ 

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I 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



11 






tl^Hh^mptoti, Dec«t ll^h 



graduated from 
£olUa^f and 




with Mr* Edwards^ catue to 
our bouse to=dav* lie looked to find 
father at bonte, and Is m some great 
trouble of mind* Ife told Illrs« Edwards 
be bad mtended to study tbeology ivitb 
111r« Gilbert Cennent of Hei^ Jersey, but 
wbeti be beard I11r« €dii^ards preacb at 
tbe m^w f^aveti Commettcestientt be 
cbanged bis mind as to tbis» and bas 
come bilber eigbty miles on borsebacUt 
from USaterbury in Connecticut* Our 
motber, wbo always undertalies to do in 
father's absencct wbat sbe thinks he 
would do were be at bomct seeing her 
visitor so wretched and desiressedt bas 
been holding conversation with him on 
religiout and be seems in better spirits 
now« me girlSt Serusba, Hlary and It 
seeing his immense f rame, bis great bon^ 
est facet and hearing bis ponderous 
voicct have maliciously nick=named him 
**01d Sincerity." mother shakes her 



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12 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



bead at us and puts ber finger en ber 
lipst but we are sometimes ready to burst 
out wit!) mischief; not because be pro= 
vokes or deserves it, but because it is in 
us; as 1 venture to say, it is in all 
dirls* « « c e « « c 



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ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 13 



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RS* Edwards was tbirtv* 
three v^<ir$ ^icl to»dav* 
€hat seems i^ery old« 1 
wonder if 1 shall liv^e to be 
ti>n'tv=tbree ? MnA W.r* €d« 
wards Is forty — seven years older than 
she* Mrs* €dwards seemed very serf* 
ous all the day Ions ; as if she were in> 
wardty prayingt ^'I^ord* so teach me to 
number my days, that I may at>p1y my 
heart unto wisdom/' Indeed, this she 
said to us fiirlSt when we were tryinis to 
practice some birthday frolics upon 
her« JInd when she came from her clos> 
et=devotionst her face actually shone, 
as though, like Hloses, she had come 
down from the mount* 1 do not think we 
dirls ever will be so saintly as our moth« 
er is« Jit any rate, we do not hedin so» 
1 do not know as T want to be, which 
is very wicked, 1 am sure* 1 think, that 
perhaps Sarah may; she is the flower of 
this family* «««««« 



4h# 















14 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 




4f 
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Hertbamptotit 3aii« 27t 1742« 

flamttig vouna prcacbcrt 
iust from tbc college at ileiv 
liaven, ba$ cottie to town* 
l§e preaci^est every day, asid 
twice a day i our dear boti» 
ored ?atl?ert wlio $o much bears tbe 
burdens of all tl)e cburcl^est being ab= 
sentt doing the work of an evangelist* 
Illy precious ntotber, though she would 
gladly conceal it, is not a little CKcr^ 
cised to see the people flocUing after 
the young herald of the 0ros$, as 
though they never heard preaching be* 
fore* Wis name is Buell, and he is a 
classmate in college of Samuel liop^ 
kins* But, 1 can see this morning that 
she has wrestled with the Cord, and 
gotten the victory, for she says so 
sweetly and triumphantly : ** lUould 
6od, that all the Cord's people were 
prophets, and that 0od would put his 
spirit upon them*'' « « « c 

nir* Buell will stay the second 
week, and then nir* Ifopkins will go 
with him, as a kind of armor=bearer, 
or lieutenant, to Boston, to capture that 
city for the Cord* many Christians have 
been greatly guickened and sinners 
converted* 1 am not certain how my 
honored father would regard some 
things that mr* Buell does* But T am 
sure, he would say, '' Che Cord save 
by whom he wilt save*" « c « 

^ ^ ^ .A^ ^ ^ ^ 



■tf» 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



15 







northampi^tit 5^ti* 27> again* 

^€ bai^e |ti$t eottie In front 
the tbree o^elocU lecture* 
Cbc t^^aee i^as too strait 
for u$t and tbc t^eoplc 
were deeply mo^ed* fHany 
wept» and not a Hw remained for a 
period of tbree hours for conversation 
and inqulrv* nty honored mother, 
whose spirit at^swers so <iulckly to 
spiritual things, seemed to come back 
home, ** walklna and leaping and 
praising God/* Jls she entered the door, 
she had my hand, and was singing, not 
loudly, but as If It were In an inward 
ecstasy, 
** fiosatina to HIng Dai^id's son, 
lUho reigns on a superior throne! *' 
Jill the e%>enlng there was something 
seraphic In her depression, and when 
she kissed me for the night, methought 
1 looked on the face of an angel* my 
honored father and dear mother seem to 
me different from other people In this, 
that their whole nature Is attuned to 
0od*s service and praise* €hey utter 
themselves at once, as though they felt. 
If they held their peace, the very stones 
would cry out* mho knows but they 
would? the Northampton stones are 
wont to hear such preaching* « « 







(CI* a/jJ^J) jj^j) fifO) fS^J) (Wj) 














16 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 





northamptotit f cb* 13, 1742, 

have iust come tripping ut> 
stairs from mortiittg worship, 
and the song of the service 
still follows me* 1 have hec^ 
thinking what a singing fam^ 
ily the Edwards' family is* mother's 
voice we have heard in psalms and 
hymns and spiritual songs, ever since 
our early babyhood* She sang us on 
our pilgrim way, when we were in our 
cradles, Und to all the house, her voice 
is always uplifting like the lark's, as 
though her soul were mounting up to 
heaven's shining gate on wings of song* 
If father ever gets low-spirited from 
his ^'humors," as he calls them, her 
voice is to him like medicine, as David's 
harp was to King $auU JVndwhen she 
once begins, there is Sarah and 3erusha 
and myself, like the ascending pipes of 
an organ, ready to unite in making a joy^ 
ful noise to the Cord, all over the house; 
so that our home is more like an aviary 
than the dwelling of a Colonial parson* 
mother has been correcting the few 
pages of my iournal and father has 
given me to transcribe into it, a descrip- 
tion which he wrote of a certain lady. 



i^}{^f^\^^V^r^}[^j^ 











ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 17 









ivbcn she was but thirteen years old* 
Chi$ is only three years older tbati 1 am 
MOW* Rere is the extract:— 

**€bey $ay there is a youtig lady in 
Reiv leaven who has a strange sweet* 
ness in her mind* and a singular purity 
in her affections; is mostiust andcon= 
scientious in all conduct, and you could 
not persuade her to do anything wrong 
or sinfult if you should sive her all \hz 
world* She is of a wonderful sweetness 
and calmnesst and universal henevo» 
lence of mind; especially^ after the great 
0od has manifested himself to her mind* 
She will sometimes go about from place 
to place singing sweetly, and seeming 
to be always full of loy and pleasure, 
and no one knows for what* She loves 
to be alone, and walking in the fields and 
groves, and seems to have some One ins 
visible conversing with her*" 

Chis was Sarah Pierrepoint, my 
precious mother* Illr* €dwards wants 
me to be like her* mhat do they say 
of a young lady, also a minister's 
daughter, who lives in this town of 
northampton? my mother says, my 
Journal thus far is rather stilted and 
mature for me; though everything in 
the family is mature* 1 have a letter of 
my father's, written when he was 
younger than 1 am, which T shall trans- 












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^If 78 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 4'^ 

^ +i» 

^f cribCt just to show where the present ^|^ 

Z writer dets ber stilts and maturity : 2 

v' Co miss mary Edwards at l^adley* ^^ 

^if Oiindsor, may 10» 1716* 4lf^ 

^^ Dear Sister:— -^ 

^ Cbroudb the wonderful good> ^ 

4glf ness and mercy of 6odt there has been ^\2j^ 

i in this place a remarkable outpourina i 

^f of the Spirit of 6od* It still continues, 4lf^ 

^> but 1 think 1 have reason to think it is in 5 

^r some measure diminished; yett T hope ^'^ 

^^ not much* Chree have joined the j.^ 

^^ church, since you last heard, five now ^^ 

^1^ stand propounded for admission; and 1 ^|^ 

^ think about thirty persons come com> ^ 

^f monly on mondays to converse with 4)3^ 

^ father about the condition of their souls* ^ 

^^T It is a time of general health here* 4'^ 

^^ Jlbiaail, Hannah and Cucy have had the . ^ 

^^ chicken«pox and have recovered* Se* ^'^ 

^^ rusha is almost well* Except her, the i.^ 

^^ whole family is well* ^~ 

^f Sister, T am glad 1 hear of your ^|^ 

X welfare as often as 1 do* 1 should be 2 

^f diad to hear from you by letter, and 413^ 

S therein, how is it with you, as to your 2 

^r crookedness* 4'^ 

^f Vour lovind brother, ^A^ 

^A Jonathan €• ^,5^ 

^f 41^ 



^^4/|^«/|^^^«/lVJft/|»4/J^«/lVJ«/|^Vl^ 







ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



19 




nortbamptotit lllarcb 6* 1742* 

HUE just been carfnd for my 
mockitiflsbirdt wbo is now 
rewarding me witb a sons* 
Cbe cat was lurking in tbe 
ball, and 1 bave |u$t driven 
berawaywifb tbe broom, witbwbicbT 
bave been sweeping tbe livinfl«room* 
Cbougb down by tbe fireside, at twi« 
lidbt, sbe is my favorite, too, orratber, 
Serusba's, wbo is very tender of pcis. 
Hnd even fatber, sometimes, wbile witb 
us after supper, seems to en|oy ber pur- 
rinfl, as be strokes ber in bis lap* 
Cbougb 1 doubt if sbebas mucb divinity 
about ber; unless it is in ber sparks of 
electricity, wben sbe is rubbed tbe 
wrong way* « « « « « 






^i^^'^A^j^y^y^^ 




20 

















ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 




nortbamptotit may 1, 1742« 

have lust come back front a 
most wonderful ride with my 
honored father, mn Edwards, 
throudh the spring woods* lie 
usually rides a1one« But, tO" 
day, he said he had something he want* 
ed to show me* Che forests between 
our house and the full=hanked river 
were very heautlfuK Che wild cherry 
and the dogwood were In full bloom* 
Che squirrels were leaping from tree to 
tree, and the birds were making a varl* 
ous melody* Chough father Is usually 
taciturn or preoccupied,— my mother 
will call these large words,— even when 
he takes one of us children with him, to* 
day, he discoursed to me of the awful 
sweetness of walking with 6od In na« 
ture* He seems to feel 6od in the 
woodSt the sky, the clouds and the 
grand sweep of the river, which winds 
so malestically through the woody si= 
lences here* Ife quoted, to=day, from 
the €antlcles, **J am the Hose of Sharon 
and the Cily of the valleys,'' applying 
the words to the Saviour, as though the 
beauty and loveliness of the Saviour 
were recalled in the works of creation i 
























ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 21 



and tbctit from ih^ Gospel of niobn: 
^^Jlll tbitids were made by fiim, and 
ivitbout film was not anvtbing made* 
tbat was made/' Cbts was, as 1 sat be= 
bind on tbe pilliont wbicb we so mucb 
use as a seat for anotber In borseback 
ridind* ««««««« 

Olben we reacbed **Cbe Indian's 
Olell/' 1 slid off and brougbt a bircb» 
bark cui> of crystal waHv for fatber to 
drink* Butt not before T bad given my« 
self a great surprise* f or^ baving put 
on my motber's bat in sport, tbe first re- 
flection in tbe dark water seemed to be 
tbe face of my motber Instead of my 
own* Jind ivben T told my fatber, be 
said* **Jls face answeretb to face in 
water, so tbe beart of man to man*" 
Jind tben be told me, tbat be bad given 
me tbat extract about $arab Pierre^ 
point, tbat T migbt tbink of wbat my 
motber was already, wben sbe was still 
a young maiden* « « c « 

Going bome, my fatber pointed out 
to me tbe babits of a flying spider, tbat 
sallies fortb on bis tbread as upon 
wings, and is borne by tbe wind from 
tree to tree, so tbat be is really a great 
traveler: bow be raises bimself on tips 
toe, turning up bis body, bow tbe silk 
fluid in bis body becomes bardened on 












ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 






CKt^osurc to tbc air, f)oiv it is drawn out 
by the current of tbe ain Indeed, 1 
came borne tbinkind a great many new 
tboudbts, ivbicb my eaicursion bad 
awakened ; as 1 tbtnk my f atber intend* 
ed* JInd tbe verse came into my mind t 
''Jilt tby works praiscitbee V « « 




t 







ESTHER BURR'S xJOURNAL 23 




nortbatiiiitoti* Sutie, 1743« 

IV mother has just come into 
tbe bou$e» with abuncbof 
$iveet peas, and put tbem on 
tbe stand wbere my honored 
... .. father Is shaving, though 

his beard is verv slights me have 
abundance of flowers, and a vegetable 
garden, which is early and thrifty, aur 
sweet com is the first in the town, and 
so are our green peas« my honored fa> 
ther of course has not time to give aU 
tentionto the garden, and so inrs*€d' 
wards looks after everything there. JII. 
most before the snow has left the hills, 
she has it ploughed and spaded by 
Rose's husband, who does all the hard 
work there. $he is our colored cook. 
\iSt hire her services from one of the 
prominent people in father's parish* 
who owns both her and her husband. 
Chat word **owns" sounds strangely 
about people. « « c « « 

Kev. Samuel Ifopkins, my father's 
student in theology, has some very 
strong opinions against slavery. |$e 
once said to my father, that he believed 



L*^)(6^i(^<^ 



>^7 



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24 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



0od would yet overrule for bis dlory, 
the comind of the blacks to tbis country; 
quoting wbat Hlosepb said, ''Vetneant 
It for evilt but Ood meant it for good." 
I^e bas already workina in bis areat 
mindt tbe beginnind of an effort to send 
Cbristianized nedroes back to J1frica« 
me girls bave changed bis nickname to 
*'Old Benevolence;" tbougb we all bave 
for bim tbe greatest respect* But, we 
must bave something to make sport 
about among ourselves* « c « 



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ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 25 



norfbamptottt !Iu1y 23» 1743* 

|l^€ Rev* Samuel fjfopltitis has 
fust paid us a sbert visit. H 
very strong attaclitnettt f>as 
spnittfl up bctwecft this youno 
preacher and my honored f a« 
ther« Indeedt T believet he has made my 
father and mother his confidants in a 
certain affair of the heart, which relates 
to himself* B certain young lady in 
northampton— none of the Edwards 
girls— is the obiect of this attachmentt 
and alas, it is not successful* It gives 
us girls a great theme* « « • 

lllr* f^opkins was to spend the 
Cord's Day with us, and to preach in 
my father's stead; though T really be» 
lieve he would much prefer to listen to 
my father* JIs it turned out* they both 
preached, and lllr* f^opliins said the 
comparison made him ashamed* 










4*4|» 







^f 26 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 4l^ 






t 
4f 



4f 




P^* David Bralncrd sbould 
have flraduated at Hew 
l)avcn €ol1cdc Ibis day* 
inr« €dward$t my fatber, 
is fcclind mucb burt bc« 
cause President 61apandtbe Crustees 
bave treated mr« Brainerdso sbabbily 
and cruelly* my f atber says, as I tbinli , 
nevp l]^aven €ollede bas lost tbe brigbt- 
est ieivel sbe will ever wear In ber crown* 
Ittr* Brainerd was expelled from tbe 
College, for saying of one of tbe tutors, 
wbo seemed indifferent to religious 
activity,-wben Itlr* Ulbitefield was 
preacbing in new Daven, and tbe stu- 
dents were generally giving mucb at- 
tention to bis word,-tbat be bad no 
more religion tban a cbair* T can see 
tbat my fatber tbinks tbat be spake un- 
advisedly, and sbould make amends for 
it,— as be was willing most bumbly to 
do,— but, tbat be very likely spoke tbe 
trutb* Being a graduate of fbat Col- 
lege, my fatber bas been greatly bur- 
dened at tbe irreligion and wickedness 
prevailing tberei and be is already in 
conference witb Kev* Itlr* Burr of new- 
ark a% to founding a college, perbaps, 
in tbe jerseys, wbere young men can 
be safe from sucb influences* « « 



f 

t 

I 



S^«|j|1m|^4/|J4/1VJ«/^^ 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 27 



It seems fbat mn Brainerd was so 
concerned for fbe studentSt that be went 
from room to room tatkina and prayina 
with tfjem all, whether they had made a 
profession of faith or not. Indeed, lllr. 
Samuel l^opkins told my father that it 
was David Brainerd's visit to his room 
that convinced him that he himself was 
not a Ghristian, thoudh he was even 
then intending to study for the ministry* 



















28 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 




S 1 said, to rettirti to tbc tor* 
ic above: this day David 
Braiticrd would bavc grad- 
uated at new leaven College* 
Butt the Faculty were un« 
reletitinat notwitbstandind his buttiiliat* 
Ina confession. I^eis likely to become 
a member of tbis family. It seems* Soon 
after coming to nortbampton be display^ 
ed strong affinity for Ilerusba, our sis« 
ter of seventeen* wbo was soon inocu* 
lated ivitb bis bigb spiritual views, and 
deeply interested in bis Indian wortc* 

my bonored fatber lllr* Cdwards 
regards bim a young man of uncommon 
abilities and gifts of nature, a close 
student, witb eictraordinary power 
in tbe pulpit* In private conversa* 
tion, be is entertaining and profitable, 
and very instructive on personal and ex« 
perimental religion* Cbus far, bis In- 
dian missionary labors bave been soli> 
tary* l^e tblnks tbis a mistake* Debas 
bad no domestic attention, no bome 
care, no one to bold bim back from over 
exertion* JInd be means now, sbould 
be ever recover, wbicb 1 very mucb mis- 
doubt, to take a female belpmate back 
witb bim. T am pretty sure tbis kind of 









ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 29 



love never would satisfy ttie* 1 believe 
be loves bert more beeause she will 
make a aood Itlissiottary, than for any 
other reason* Butt little does the dear 
dirl care* $be has laid herself upon the 
altart and is more than willing to he an 
offerina for a sweet smellina savour to 
himt as well as to her divine Saviour 
and Cord* «««««« 
















^If 30 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 

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noribamptottt lllay, 14, 1744« 

S* Edwards, my mother, 
and my sister Sarah have 
just set out with mr* f^op* 
kins on horseback forBos« 
=>^ ton* niy sister rides behind 
Itlr* Dopkins, and they are to lodge the 
first night at Colonel Divight's in Brook- 
field* Chis leaves a great vac:ancy in 
our busy home; and intent on his studies 
as my honored father Ittr* Edwards is, 
1 really believe he feels it the most* Chis 
visit to Boston has been a long time 
planned, to execute sundry purchases 
needful for the members of the house" 
hold* While in Boston, mother and $a> 
rah are to be entertained at the house of 
Kev* Itlr* Prince* lllr* Prince has a 
daughter Sally, younger than our $a» 
rah— father does not like to hear her 
nick>named— with whom, T sometimes 
exchange letters* 1 hope hereafter to 
visit Boston, myself; though 1 believe, 
1 would ratber reside in northampton* 



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j^V|^4/|MJB^«/|^V|M/iVJ«|^ 




ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 




norfbatnptotft Tcb*, l^t 1747* 

tbitik 1 never knew so bappv a 
day* Cbere ba$ been a tbaw* 
tbe January tbaw, later tban 
usual, and tbe rain bad frozen 
on every tree and iwlQQf and 
ivben tbe sun arose, it was iust as tbougb 
tbey were all encased in silver* Hnd 
everywbere tbe broken pieces of ice 
were cracklina down from tbe elms and 
maples, all tbe way as we went to tbe 
bouse of 6od* Cbe air was full of music 
of tbe sleigb^bells of tbe cburcb<8oers, 
as tbey drove past* And 1 tboufibt of 
wbat is said in tbe Scriptures, of tbe 
bells on tbe bidb priesfs garments, and 
bow bis sound was beard as be went 
into tbe boly place; and so tbe greater 
music of tbe cburcb-bells seemed to say 
to my soul, Holiness to tbe Cord ! 

But 1 must begin to speak of earlier 
in tbe day* 1 was awakened in tbe 
morning by someone's kissing me on 
my eyes and my moutb and my ears* 
In tbe baze of my morning dreams 1 
tbougbt it migbt be tbe angels* But, no, 
T soon saw tbat it was my angeUmotber, 
and sbe was balf saying and batf sing- 





32 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



itig: ^^JlwakCt my €$tbcrt tnv quccti« 
Cbis is the day of tbinc espousals* Tor 
the Hind deligbtctb in tbce and calletb 
tbec by name* l^c brings tbce to I>is 
banqueting-bousc and H\s banner over 
tbce is love/' €ben, 1 remembered it 
w^s my fifteentb birtbdavt and also, 
tbat 1 was tbat day, to iaVit upon me tbe 
vows of 6od« Hnd T answered motber, 
as by a kind of inspiration : '^1 was 
asleep, but my beart waketb* It is tbe 
voice of my beloved tbat knocketb* l)is 
bead is filled witb dew, f^is locks witb 
tbe drops of tbe nigbt/' Jind I quickly 
arose, for 1 saw tbe bouse was already 
astir* « « « « « c c 

my bonored fatber preacbed on 
Kutb's Resolution as tbougb to me, 
from tbe words, ^'Entreat me not to 
leave tbee, nor to return from following 
tbee/' (Kutb i> 16«) T sball never forget 
bis words about tbe people of 0od* l>e 
said, 'Xbey are tbe most cKcellent and 
bappy society in tbe world* God wbom 
tbey bave cbosen as tbeir God, is tbeir 
Fatber* f^e bas pardoned all tbeir sins, 
and tbey are at peace witb l^im* Jind 
f)e bas admitted tbem to all tbe privil* 
eges of cbildren. Jls tbey bave devoted 




ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 33 





tb^ttisclvcs to eod, so 6od h^% given 
l>iin$ftlf to tbetti* ^e carries tbetn ott 
eagle's wings far above Sskii^ti's reacb> 
and above tbe reacb of all tbeir enemies 
in tbis world/' Cbis be afterwards le! 
me copy from bis sermon. Jind 1 said 
In myibeart* **Cby people sball be my 
people, and tby 6od my 0od/' « « 





















34 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 




4l|^ 






Dorthamptont 1747* 

6Ril$l)11 bas iu$t returned 
from ber solourti in Boston, 
ivitb ber sick cbarge, David 
Brainerdt tbe Indian mis- 
sionary* Cbey came by easy 
stages, but be is mucb cKbausted, and 1 
believe, is not long for tbis world, llcv= 
er was tbere sucb devotion, sball 1 say 
idolatry bestowed upon mortal man, 
never was tbere so bumble a bandmaid 
of tbe Cord as Jerusba, Sbe reminds 
me of wbat is said of Hutb and Boaz : 
''lUben sbe fell upon ber face and bowed 
berself to tbe ground, and said unto 
bim, UPby bave 1 found grace in tby 
sigbt, tbat tbou sbouldst take knowU 
edge of me?'' I^er wbole nature goes 
out after spiritual tbings, and tbis man 
is ber ideah $be actually almost wor> 
sbips tbe ground be treads upon, Sbe 
feels tbat sbe is unwortby to perform 
tbe most menial offices for bim, Sbe 
is lust sure to wear berself out in ber 
constant ministrations, wbicb are day 
and nigbt, unremitting and unceasing, 
Tf be sbould die soon, and 1 believe be 
will, 1 am sure sbe would prefer to die 
witb bim, as Cbomas said to tbe Cord 
about Cazarus, **L^t us go tbat we may 41^. 






I 








ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 35 



die with l>im!'' Tndccdt wc all fear, 
tf^at with the close ef his lifCt she will 
feel that her work is ended, like Simeon, 
savisig* ^'now lettest thy ^er^atit derart 
in 9<^^ce/' 






ft 



'I 





36 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 















nortbamptoti, Oct* 9» 1747* 

|i)€ sainted mifferer of tbe 
bouse, our temporary auestt 
our brother in tbe Cord> bas« 
at lenfltb^ breatbed bis last* 
{5e called us all to bis bed- 
side, and tenderly talked of bis aofna, 
and bade ust wben we stand by bis 
aravct to remember bis words* Deex* 
pressed bimself ready to part ipitb us 
all. ^*Tor to depart and be witb €brist 
w^% far better*" Co our ^erusba* bis 
lona>time nurse* wbo bas ivatcbed and 
almost felt every pang of bis poor raclt> 
fd body* for many montbSt be said: 
*'Dear Serusba, are you ivillino to part 
tvitb me ? 1 am quite willinfl to part 
witb you* Cboufib if i tbouabt l sbould 
not see you and be bappy witb you in 
anotber world, 1 could not bear to part 
witb you* But, we will spend a bappy 
eternity todetber*" JInd so be bad bis 
messade for eacb one of us all» and 
tben fell asleep* 




^^ 











ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 37 



I!ertbampfoti, Oct* 12, 1747* 

>€, bavc fust come bomc 
from the public improi>e« 
mctit of David Braincrd's 
decease. Of course, mv 
bonored father preact)ed 

the discourse* l^is text was from 2 Cor. 

U« 8 : **llbsetit from the t^ody but pres« 

etit with tbe £ord.'' 

Ife was unusually exalted, even 

for bim. Cbe closina bymn was 

*'mby do we mourn departed friends ? 
**0r shrink at death's alarms ?" 

It was sung grandly and triumphantly 
by our great choir of voices. Dearje- 
rusha's illuminated face was a study. 
She was rapt up no more In the living. 
It seemed as though her soul, liberated 
from earth, was already mounting up to 
holy communion with the spirits of the 
lust made perfect, of whom not one of 
the great congregation could doubt, 
Itlr. Brainerd was now one. Und when 
came the words 

*'Jlre we not tending upward too, 
Bs fast as time can move ? 

nor would we wish the hours more 
slow 
Co keep us from our love !'' 












38 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



U seemed to me as ihouah sbe saw 
heaven open, the aolden gates Sifted 
up and w^% only ivaitina for angeU 
^inas to mount tbere« She is not long 
for this world* Tor exactly nineteen 
weettSt day and niobt, she has cared 
for tbis sicit man ; and sbe only eidbt* 
een* ««««««« 



4f 





l4|j^4^li|M|M|^ 




ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 39 



norfbampfon, Oct 12, I747* 



Braiffi^rd's memory at the 
funeral, wbicb occurred fo« 
._,,,^.__^„ «Jav: eiflibt of the neighbor* 
^ "^"^ ^ fng ministers beina present, 
seventeen aentlemen of liberal educa« 
tion and a great concourse of people* 
Cbe October foliage, full of glory, seem« 
ed nature's expression of the triumphal 
conclusion of his life's years; and when 
we ali stood at the open grave, and his 
precious dust was committed to the 
dust, my father pronouncing the words: 
*'Jlnd 1 heard a voice from l^eaven say« 
ing, 'Blessed are the dead that die in 
the Cord;' yea, gaith with the Spirit that 
they may rest from their labors, and 
their works do follow them," it was a 
solemnity not soon to be forgotten* JInd 
when we returned home to the dwelling 
where he had suffered so long, it was 
like coming back to earth from the gate- 
way of lieaven* l)ow strangely earth 
and Ifeaven are brought together in this 
family! ««««««« 





40 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 











northamptoiif 1747. 

^T^ JJT V S)ottos*cd father !)a$ not eiilv 
\/| thouahi it a sacred duty to 
J^\ I care for mr* Brainerd in his 
\^S> ^^^ bouse* as a friend 
and auest» rememberind 
tbe ivordSt ''5e not forgetful to enter* 
tain strangers; for by so doing* many 
bave entertained angels unawares:'' 
butt be bas felt tbat a record of bis 
saintly cKcrcises and experiences 
sbould be made for otbers* Be firmly 
believes tbat tbe lournal be bas kept* is 
to be lar^gely blessed in making minis- 
ters and missionaries* till tbe end of 
time* «•««««• 










ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 41 









tlorthampion, Teb» B4, I74S* 

^^lil$ day our dear :9eru$ha 
died at efdhteen* if as she 
and ber sainted Davidt and 
we all believet sbe be gone to 
ber Father's l^ouse, sbe bas 
already joined tbe boly company, of 
wbicb be since last October bas been 
one^ Cbey bave been separated only 
five months* Cboudb T doubt, whether 
be bas ever been absent from her 
tboudbt and lonoitid love* this is what 
the world calls St* Ualentine's day, 
thoudb 1 have been tauabt to tbinlt that 
all folly* Beind a girl, T suppose, 1 
could not help remarking tbe coinci- 
dence* JInd 7 recalled from the Psalms, 
as it was my day's reading: **$he shall 
be brought unto tbe Kina, in raiment of 
needlework; the virgins, her compan- 
Ions, that follow ber shall be brought 
unto thee; they shall enter into the 
King's palace*" Jind so we shall lay 
tbe frame of this ministering angel side 
by side with that of tbe man, who 
breathed out his life almost in her arms* 
■t Is lust five months and two days 
since bis burial* now they can say in 
concert, **iny beloved is mine, and 1 am 













42 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 

n 

Rorthatitptotit January* 




t 

H6JIX: c^ecitcmenf has been ^ 
occasioned by a new Vcar's 4I9 
$lel£tb»ri(ie and ball for dstnc* 2 

ingt tbat bas iu$t occurred 4l^ 
bere« It was a aay party of 
Vouna peoplCt some of my more intimate 
friends among tbem, wbo drove to a bo« 
tel In f^adley, and spent tbe bours till 
midnidbt In dancing tbe OldVear out ^^ 
and tbe Rew Vear In* Ulben It was ^ 

known sucb a party was in contempla- 4l§^ 
tlon, tbe motbers of tbe young people - 

bad a prayer-meeting to pray tbat no 
barm migbt come to tbem ; indeed* tbat 
tbey migbt be converted to a better style 
of piety* tban tbey tben bad; for many of ±S^ 
tbem were already cburcb-members* ^^ 
Co my bonored fatber and motber, it 
bas been a time of great grief« Hnd ^ 

wben witb morning ligbtt tbe great sled- 413^ 
loads drove up tbrougb tbe streets* witb 
tbeir iaugbing* giddy freigbt* 1 saw tbe 
tears In tbe eyes of tbem botb* T am 
only too glad* tbat none of tbecbildren 
of tbis family were invited to go : or bad ^|^ 
tbey been* would baveso far departed ^ 

from tbe wisbes of tbeir parents* iks to 



w 

^ 
^ 



I 
t 






ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 43 



care to do so* Zh\s bouscholdt ei^eti 
ivbcti tbere arc visititta young people as 
guestSt i$ $0 well regulatedt tbat with 
nine o'clock conies the hour for family 
worship when the different members re> 
tire I while our morning worship is usu> 
ally by candlelight* c « « « 


















44 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 




^€ ^ave fust been perttiitteil 
to read Hlcbardson's nov- 
el; ^'Sir €barles Grandf- 
$on/' Our fatber and moth- 
er bave first read it, and 
regard it a wbolly suitable book a$ to 
morals and cbaracter* Our bonored fa- 
ther bas done so far as to express^ad- 
miration for its literary style, and also 
to speak bis regret tbat be bad not ear- 
lier given more attention to sucb ^mat- 
ters; be being so intent upon tbe 
tbougbt, as to bave no time to clotbe it 
in elegant language* Cbis novel ivas 
sent to us from Scotland, ivbere it bad 
made a great stir* Of course, to read 
sucb a book, is an unusual event in sucb 
a family as ours* jRnd we bave bad a 
great time taking it in turn, and discus» 
sing its characters* • c « « 



4^^ 








norfbatnpf^ti* 




ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 45 




filS day, voz Uave dear* 
sweet nortbatttpton, u^bcre 
us have been bortit and 
ivbere ive bape so many ties 
cblldbood and youtb* 
€ven tbe very trees around our bonte* 
seem a paH of us* tbere is one elm, 
tbat is called my fatber's» be bas so 
lona studied beneatb lt« Cbouflb tbese 
places will Itnoiv us no more forever, 
tbougb mucb bitterness and persecution 
bave marked tbe men wbo bave com- 
passed our departure, as my bonored 
fatber says, we do not ao as David left 
3erusalem driven out by tbe rebellion of 
bis son JIbsalom,--tbougb it seems so 
to me at least,~but believing in tbe 
words of tbe sacred writt '*Bebold, 1 
send an angel before tbee, to bring tbee 
into tbe place wbicb 1 bave prepgred* 
Cead me in tby rigbteousness because 
of mine enemies % make tby way straigbt 
before my face/' « « « « « 

One of tbe bitterest experiences 
connected witb tbis removal is tbe fact 
tbat some of tbe active instigators of it 
are actually nesb of our flesb, and 
blood of our blood, tbis is more 
tban tbe Psalmist's complaint of tbe 











46 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



t 

t 



one wbo ''lifted up the bed against 
bim :'' ''me tootc sweet counsel togetb' 
er* and walked to tbe bouse of 0od in 
company/' tbounb tbis also was true« 
Jind doubtlesst tbe Cord's servants 
bavetotake tbe baptism oftbeirinas- 
ter» wbo quoted tbis passage witb refer- 
ence to tbe defection of 3udas/' « 




4» 




2^«|iN|iN|i»«|j«|^ 




ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 47 




nortbatnptoti* 

lOCfiine could be more beau> 
tiful fbati tbe manner, in 
ivbtcb nir* and lUrs* €cl« 
wards bave submitted to tbe 
decision of tbe Council witb 
its maiority of only one, recommending 
our removal from tbis place* me cbil' 
dren bave been indignant beyond eac' 
pression* It bas not always been pos« 
sible for us to please our parents by 
sbowing a meek and quiet spirit* Hnd 
seeing tbem take everytbing so patients 
ly, we bave sometimes seemed to feel 
tbe more satisfaction in sbowing our re 
sentment. may 0od forgive us, if we 
are wrong. But, we feel like sbaking 
tbe dust off of our very feet, as a testi* 
mony against a people, to wbom our fa- 
tber bas ministered in boly tbings for so 
many years, and wbo bave been born of 
of bis ministration of tbe trutb into tbe 
Kingdom of 0od* « • « « « 



4f^ 



48 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 




Stocltbridgc, mass*f Dec* 22* 174S* 

letter to lllr* Edwards, my 
honored father, from IHr* 
Burr, staHs that the new 
Jersey College was organ* 
ized under an enlarged 
charter, Dov* 9, and that he has been 
chosen President to succeed Itlr* Dick* 
enson« who has lately died* For the 
present* he will serve without salary* 
€here Is a graduating class of eight, of 
whom sei^en expect to be ministers of 
the 0ospeK mr* Burr has two tutors to 
assist him* lie himself teaches the an« 
cient languages and mathematics, cal- 
culates eclipses and practices survey- 
ing, besides being the pastor of tbe 
church there* But of work, my honored 
father says, mr* Burr never tires, and 
he passes from one thing to another, 
with the greatest facility and grace* 
Chis whole arrangement, which has 
been discussed in a correspondence be* 
tween ny father and Governor Belcher 
is very satisfactory* It is not antici* 
pated that lllr* Burr will resign his pas* 
torate, at least, M present ; though how 
he finds time to do so much none of us 
can guess* «««•«« 











ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 49 



StockbrldfiCt may 26, 1749* 

X is tbe practice of ftlr* 6d- 
ivards to finish bis own meal, 
wbicb is alivavs very sinaplCt 
and tben return to tbe table to 
say aracct at tbe close, wben 
we are all done* For we beain and end 
our meals in 6od* €bis momina iis be 
did not come at once, my dear motber 
wbo always berself says arace, wben 
fatber is absent from bome, said that 
Jonathan €dwards, 3r«, wbo is iust 
pa9i tight years old, might officiate* 
€bis pleased us all. for be fell into fa« 
ther's exact words and intonations, as 
a child would do, without seeming to 
intend it* Oie all maintained tbe great' 
t^t decorum, as was befitting, for we 
know that **out of tbe mouth of babes 
and sucklings God has ordained 
praise''— a favorite verse of father's, 
wbo believes in tbe early conversion of 
children, this evening, too, we chil" 
dren are to have a birthday festival in 
Jonathan's honor, though this we keep 
a profound secret* Jis to Jonathan, Jr., 
we all expect he will some day make a 
great divine ; though outwardly he does 
not resemble our father; being dark, 
and plain, and very small* « « 











■"'f 50 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 







StockbriddCt 3ati* 21, 1752* 

|liT$ town is dcligbffully lo- 
cated for winter sports* Cbe 
river has a very quiet floWt 
so that we have skating 
partiest and the bills all 
around furnish suitable declivities for 
coasting* 1 bave lust come in from 
mest Stockbridge road, with my cheeks 
all aglow and pulse beating wildly* my 
sister and T bad two Indian boys to pull 
our sleds for us, and to guide tbem over 
tbe crust, wbicb flashes like a mirror, 
as with lightning rapidity we speed 
from one descent to another, until we 
finally reach the level of our quiet 
street* Jit the corners, the wood men 
came in with their heavily loaded wood- 
sleds, and the sleigh bells rang right 
merrily, as though it were a winter's 
holiday* « « c « « « 



t 

t 

i 

t 

4 







t 



^^«|N|i»^«|j«|»^i»^^^^ 




ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 51 



StockbridflCt 3an. 11 f 17S2* 




l^€ sacred writer said, *^0 thai 1 
bad ivitifls like a devct ihM 1 
midbt fly away, and be M rest/' 
Even Stockbridde bas my honor- 
ed father's enemies* not Tndianst that 
lurk in tbe wilderness and waylay tbe 
unsuspectind victim. Our Indians* 
especially tbe 6ousatonacSt are peace- 
able and docile* Cbere is not a member 
of tbis familyt that is not engaaed in 
diving tbem instruction in tbe Bible* 
JInd our honored father has determined 
to send Jonathan tbe second when he is 
nine years old to live among lllr* Brain- 
erd's Indianst that he may learn their 
language in bis childhood, and thus 
escape the hard labor of acquiring a 
language in his adult life* not Tndians, 
but tbe scattered remnants of that bitter 
company, who moved my father from 
northampton* « « « « « 

my father has lust written to his 
own father : *'niy wife and children arc 
well pleased with our present situation* 
Chey like the place far better than tbey 




62 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 














expected* IQere, at presetitt ive live in 
peace % u»bicb h^s^ of a long timet been 
unusual to us. Cbe Indians seem muci) 
pleased voMh our familVt especially my 
wife/' JInd yet, ih^tz is trouble enough 
bere« Tt was only the other day, that a 
visitor to the male mobatvk school 
struck a child of the Chief Sachem of 
the Onoduagas on the head with his 
cane, without any provocation* Che 
Iroguois are all indignantt and threaten 
to leave the town* Uery improper use 
has been made of the moneys which 
have been sent here by Itlr, l^ollis, the 
English patron of the Indian schools* 
Che individual who has received these 
moneys, has had no school established, 
and kept no regular account of his es> 
penditures* Che Indian children have 
been permitted to grow up in filth and 
ignorance* But, as this man has mar* 
ried into the family of the resident tnts* 
tee all of this is covered up* But, of 
course, Itlr* Edwards feels bound in 
duty, to communicate the facts to the 
Boston Commissioners* « « « 






f»*^/?i«MO'^>';i<> 



(!^^C2)< 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 63 









St^ckbridflt, Jth. 2, 1713. 

Its Sally 1»rtii<f #f Bontm, 
wl)«st father is a arcat 
friend of my fatbtr**^ and 
who is fxrself a Area! fritnd 
•f mine* i^as been vmitina 
mt about tt)c spoHs of ti>« wmur in that 
city. With US simplo country pooflo^ 
tho chief place of social recreation and 
amusement Is the sfnaina-school. Be- 
sides the pleasure of getting toaether 
one evening each a ipeeli» when me are 
arranged for paH singing, the singers 
Mf€ permitted to sit in the gallery on 
Sundays, if they promise to keep to 
their own seats, and not infringe on the 
women's pews* the women, of course, 
do not need to make any such promise 
ahout the men. Sometimes, indeed, we 
hai^e sleighing parties, and those that 
love dancing finish up such parties 
with a social dance, though my honor* 
ed father believes that such customs 
mf% full of danger to young people* In 
that sermon at llorthampton, which 
created the great disturbance, resulting 
in his being dismissed, 1 remember he 
said this t **1 do not desire that young 
people should be abridged of any prop- 
er liberties,'' showing that he was 









54 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



nti arMlfafV Atid unreasonable in bit 
viewtt NrtlMt certain social practices 
¥HW% cftetiM in that deserved Ms re« 
bulie* m m • • m % % 




O^'VV 









mmmm:mMM-^'mm 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 66 




tt#clibrftfac, Fcb.t I7il. 

191$ tamllv !• vcnr Niftv mall* 
inalact aM ««i#r«Mtfv» •# 
as to rcyUKloU IM li#Mael)oM 
treasury* In Il#rtliam9t0fi» 
my l)Oiiortd ffallKr had pur* 
chased a valiiahle bSMSSttad» witfi 
land fsr ftiel and tasturliia* and bad 
trectcd a cowinodious dwtllHic hsuse* 
Chtst bad» by sxercisitig tbc strictest 
ecsnsMyt all been paid fsr» before bis 
remooal* Jlmong the bitterest of our 
exMHeuces* tberefore* wm9 to be sent 
roofless and homeless to a wilderness. 
But» neither my honored motliert nor 
any of the children bated a lot of hope* 
OPe began at once* the making and dec* 
oration of fans and other ornamental 
worby which we were assisted to dis« 
pose of in Boston, by our friends the 
Princes there* f$ow narrow our clrcuuM 
stances were* may be seen from the ne« 
cessity put upon our father* to use the 
margins of otherwise useless pamphlets 
and the backs of letters* on which to 
write his sermons and treatises* But* 
he knows no other law of life* and so he 



^^'^•^ !<V ,^^ .m^-^i^-^ <^ <^ ^^ «•' 




66 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 




U^p^ (^n w^Hh M* WfUtn hours a tf ay 
in hH ntudy* I9t Ms lately had a h<x« 
afloe^fil table made* with six sti^f ral In- 
cllnina U ai^ts, so that he can have his 
hoWs of ref eretice before his eyes» all 
at otiee, and can leave them oyen Mi the 
vassal e where he leaves off* « • 


























ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 57 



Stocltbriddt* 

neoi sotititf cc^ott fhrouah 
our Mils* €v€ry Sabbath 
davt and cvtry lecturc-davt 
one of the i^rayinfl Indians 
blows a c;oncl>»sbell» to call 
the t^eoplc to worshil^* nt firstt it 
seemed wantino In solemnity* but* now 
we are used to it* the shell beains to 
have a sacred sound* and the summons 
is speedily heeded. 1 am fond of watch- 
ing the people as they conareaate t Che 
Indians slidinfl up the rtver-banh in 
their noiseless canoes* the farmers and 
wives on horseback, with children in 
arms* or tucked in* here and there* as 
there is space for them* the pedestrians: 
rich and poor meetina toaether before 
the Cord* who is maker of u% all* m 








^-^ 




68 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL ♦ 








St^ckbridae* IttaVt 17S2. 

If^TS ha% iu$t happened to met 
Hei^* Itlr* Burr of neivarft» 
President off the new Jersey 
Colleaet who has visited our 
house, both in northantpton 
and Stoclcbridde for many years;- as a 
little oirl, T have romped with him, and 
bM on his lap,— rose this J1* 111* to take 
an early breakfast and start for home 
again, betimes, on horseback to the 
Hudson* Hnd as it was my week to care 
for the table, 1 had spread the break* 
fast for him, no other member of the 
family having yet arisen* Che cloth 
was as white as snow, for 1 had taken 
out a fresh one with its clean smell, for 
the occasion, and there was not a 
crease in it t the room was full of the 
aroma of the freshly made ita. 1 had 
selected some of the last caddy, that 
came from the Rev* Chomas Prince's of 
Boston, a family very dear tons. Che 
newly churned butter was as yellow as 
aold* 1 had rolled it and stamped it 
with my own hands* Bnd to top the 
whole, one of our father's deacons, an 
Indian, who knew of lllr* Burr's early 
start, had brouaht in some fish freshly 
taken from the fiousatonic. Itlr. Burr 



4^ 

4 
4 



4 
4 
4 
4 



^^^l^^^^^n^i^ 



partook with the ortatcst relisht keep- 
itid up a current of oracious speccbt ev- 
ery motnctit; an4 finally fixina bis 
flashing eyes on me* as 1 sat rapt and 
listening at the other end of the board, 
he abruptly said: *'6sther €dwards, 
last nightt T made bold to ask your hon- 
ored father* ifl can gain your consent, 
that 1 might take you as ftlrs* Burr, to 
my newark bachelor's quarters and 
help convert them Into a Christian 
home, aihatsayyou?'' Of course, al- 
though from my early girlhood, inr« 
Burr had treated me with favor, 1 was 
wholly unprepared for this sudden 
speech, and blushed to my ears and 
looked down ; and stammered out, as 
we are taught to say here t *'lf it please 
the Cord!'' Chough when we came to 
separate, 1 could not help playfully say- 
ing, ^'Olas it the loaves and fishes, lllr* 
Burr ?" lie laughed, and kissed me for 
the first time* • « « « « 

1 am only seventeen, and T had nev- 
er received such attention from any per- 
son. Hnd it has set my being alt aglow 
with new life. JVnd so we parted, he for 
his ride through the wilderness to the 



K^ 




60 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 














l|Mds#ti» ati4 T to resume my domestic 
duties* 1 soon beard my l^eart keeping 
time to bis l)orse's boots 9S tbey made 
tbe ttimpilte ecbo* and T paused to 
watcb tbe splendid animal ascend tbe 
billside to tbe Olest* €be sun was lust 
rising* and smiting tbe river mists witb 
its rod of sold* Bnd 1 went about all 
day* waking melody in my beart to tbe 
Cord* my dear motber appeared to sur* 
mise IlK new secret of my life* for, 
doubtlesst Itlr* Edwards bad told ber» 
M9 tbey bave no secrets from eacb otber, 
but said notbing* Itleanwbile* 1 tried to 
Imagine lllr* Burr's progress from point 
to point* until be reacbcd tbe sloop on 
tbe river* and tben T seemed to lose bim 
among tbe bigblands, as tbe sloop bore 
bim seaward to flewark* my .beart witb 
bim* t could not belp asking myself^ 
**f)as bo been waiting for me* all tbese 
years? Bt any rate, 1 tbougbt to my* 
self* 1 am bis Kacbel ; bis lamb* tas tbe 
word means* nor do 1 need to steal my 
fatber's gods* m% did sbe* For already 
bis 6od Is my 6od! and bis people, my 
people* • m m m % m 








ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 61 



St^ckbridoc, Iflarcbt 17S2« 

^Tli€ pressure of duties upon lllr. 
I EdwardSt my honored father, has 
^^ been so areata that it seems al- 
most impossible for him to endure 
It. Olhat with preachina to the white 
people, and the Indians, and catechis* 
ina the children : what with putting up 
a new dwellina>house and aettlna to« 
aether money to pay for it : what with 
the intriaues of those who are secretly 
obstructina his work and trying to sup* 
plant him i and what with his constant 
thinkinfl and writina, my honored moth« 
er is fearful that his health will be utter- 
ly broken down* Indeed, he already 
has symptoms of aaue and fever, which 
Is very prevalent in these new settle- 
ments, «««•««« 














62 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 






Sl^ckbridgc, June S, 17S2. 

ims is my last day In $t#clc- 
bridae. In tbls dear, dear 
home, with my honored 
mother and sisters* Che or* 
chards are filled with apple* 
bloom as for a bridal. Dear, beautiful 
Stoclcbridae; the svQttitst place on 
earthf with her mountains tree-topped 
to the blue skies, her miniature mead- 
ows alona the Dousatonic, where the 
Indians have their picturesque encamp- 
ments, the river, willow-embosomed, 
wbere the strong arms of my tawny 
friends have so often noiselessly guided 
the canoe, and we have glided as in a 
dream, Ves, also dear sanctuary of 
6od, where tbe red man and the white 
man have dwelt together in peace, as in 
their own Father's l^ouse, and where 
my good father's instruction has so of- 
ten fallen upon us all alike, as manna 
from f^eaven, ''Blessed are they that 
dwell in thy house; they shall still be 
praising thee/' « « • • « 






%^4^M|iM|»^M|^ 






ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 63 




$t9Clibrida<* 

1$JfIU€ sometimes essayed m 
descrfptfott to myself of Itlr* 
€dtvards« Cet me do It aoalti* 
before 1 leave my father's 
bouse for tbe bouse of my 
busband. Dis face Is almost ivomanly 
in refinement and feature* and arace* 
Cbere is a kind of sweet sedateness* an 
elevated, almost celestial serenityt to 
some, perbaps severity, of eiq»ression« 
Hnd wben be Is speakina in tbe pulpit, 
it often seems tbat bis voice bas a su» 
pematural, an andclic tenderness and 
autbority* Cbere is in bis utterance no 
weakness or softness, tbouab it is not a 
loud voice nor very masculine* Cbere 
is sucb a boly loyalty to tbe trutb in tbe 
speaker, as tboudb be were one of 0od's 
swift messendcrs, unwinged indeed, 
save in tbe spirit, wbicb often tries lofty 
fliflbts; but comina straiabt from tbe in« 
effable dlory, commissioned of infinite 
love to proclaim tbe trutb and defend it. 
Tn person, be sometimes reminds me of 
Itllcbael JInaelo's arcb«anael witb 
drawn sword; of pictures of Jobn tbe 

















64 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



EvatiflclUtf ivbf cb our Scotland friends, 
tbe €rslcincSt bave sent us, and wbicb 
band in our llvind room* • « « 














ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 65 



|!i€ flood man who ba$ chos- 
en mc for his bride, has sent 
a younfl messenger from 
newarkt wiih (wo horses, to 
condisct my honored mother 
and myself to Hew Jersey* f)e says, 
Chere is plenty of Scripture for it* Did 
not Tsaac thus send for Hebekah ? 1 am 
to ride nimrod, Itlr. Burr's great admir- 
ation and pride« 7 am alad to flo. 7 
suppose 1 feel some as did Christiana, 
in **Pilflrim's Progress,'* when she had 
summons to follow her husband* T$ it 
wronfl to think of my new home as the 
type of l)eaven ? T hope it is not wrong 
to feel so* T had to kiss the bark of the 
elm-tree, that stands in front of my win- 
dow, and where 1 have so often watched 
the returning robins, as they built their 
nests and reared their young, and then 
taught them to fly away; and now 1 am 
to stretch my wings and go, after their 
example* But, mine are the wings of 
the dove! «««««« 

Olhen we mounted the hill* on our 
way toward mest Stockbridge, T was 
fain to turn again and look back on the 
lovely little town in the valley, and the 
surrounding mountains in their grand- 












^f 66 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL ^^ 

^ if 

^i^ cur« On either side stood the bi11$t late- ^^ 

iL, ly clothed with new verdure; between ^|3^ 



them, the beautiful intervales, beneath ^ 

f which crept the river, the sntooth«dlid* 4I9 



2 ind ff)OU$:atonic, and where were feeding ^ 

^¥ the cattle. 1 shut my eyes if 1 midht f iic 4if^ 

<^. the picture and make it mine forever* .^ 

^^ and then rode on with my companions. ^Ir 

tJVnd soon nimrod, with his eager spirit, a^^ 

a^f9t me enouah to attend to. fie seem* ^^ 

^P,^ ed to know he was takina me to his ^3j^ 

^ master. «««««« Z 

^^ Oie took the turnpike tothef^ud- ^^ 

^^ son* Che road havinn been lately aA^ 

^^ mended, our progress was slow. Tn> ^^ 

^k deed, there were some passages where ^3f^ 

X the men were still at work picking out S 

^f the stones and the stumps. But, even ^^ 

i this gave us all the more leisure to look 3 

^r at the beautiful woods, and to hear the 41^ 

^. brooks full of glancing fish» bubbling ,3^ 

^^ by the roadside. Che birds were very ^"^ 

^^ lively with their songs, and the bushy* 41^ 

^^ tailed squirrels were full of their ^^ 

^L pranks. Che early dews, too, were ^3f^ 

Z dropping on the leaves. And soon my Z 

4^f steed having come to know his rider, 4^ 

^ moved on obediently, and as though .S 

^r more than satisfied with his burden. y^ 

jt.^ Our riding companion, who has lust ^3^ 

"^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^"^ 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 67 





draduatcd at the! College* was not very 
talkative, tboufib <iuite etioudh so for 
me* my dear mother, who was with us 
—but, ah, only a mother eould litidw the 
soliloquies aoiiifl on in her heart. She 
bid all those mother«tboudbts, even 
from me* T am afraid, it sometimes 
seemed to her, that she was accompany- 
ina her Isaac, to a place that God would 
tell her of— for the altar* « « • 



4^4|^ 



















68 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 




On Sloopt i^udsoti River* 

lOUl I ktiow ivbaiC a grand 
river i$« Our own Connec- 
ticut at nortbampton, as it 
sweeps alond tbroudb tbe 
wide intervaiest especially 
in tbe sprinfl timet ivben its bosom is 
f ullt is a very impressive siabt : but tbe 
scene is still ratber picturesque, tban 
flrand« Cbere is an attractive softness 
about tbe ivbole landscape. Cbe moun* 
tains are distant, and not so bifib* But, 
bere tbe mountains crowd up to tbe 
very banks of tbe river, as if to dispute 
its progress to tbe sea ; as sometimes to 
tbe eye, wbile we move along tbrougb 
tbeir fastnesses, tbeyseem actually to 
bave done* €be ligbts and sbadows 
made upon tbem by tbe floating clouds, 
tbeir own reflection in tbe water, tbe 
great widtb of tbe river, sometimes al« 
most like a lake, witb bere and tbere a 
Dutcb village, or an Indian encamp* 
ment on eitber bank, tbe exbilaration of 
tbe wboie, 1 can never forget* JInd 
tben, wben we came to wbat one migbf 
call tbe palisades, tbere were new at* 
tractions* Bt lengtb, new Vork, at tbe 















ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 69 



tnoutb of tbe river, with its harbor of 
sloops, and bcre and tbcrc, a larger vcs> 
set Und tbcn ncivark bay and river, 
and my new borne in fbe Serseys*— ISnd, 
tben, taking fbe trip ivitbout mr* Burr, 
as it were, added to tbe romanee. It 
seemed more like realizing tbe Scrip- 
ture words respecting marriage : about 
leaving fatber and motber« Cbougb 
motber, bless ber sweet beart, is witb 
me stiiK 1 could not dream ber away i 
blessed soul! « « « « m 
















70 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 





neivark. It. 3*, Sunt 29» I7i2« 

DT$ day 1 wa« married to the man* 
wbobas chosen me for hisbeln* 
mate in the Cordi an4» wbo» 1 
have reason to believe has been 
waitina for me a% long ^* Sacob tarried 
forKacbeU Re is my senior in years* 
biitt is youna and elastic In spiritt and 
full of Christian enterprise* Chough 
short in staturct compared with my hon« 
ored father^ who Is very tall; and 
though of a delicate frame* lilce my f ath* 
er, he is all energy and ceal i moving 
here and there and everyivberct almost 
like a flash of light* Hnd yet be is mod* 
est and unassuming i though every* 
where at his €^%€ ; courteous too* and 
obliging to all* f5e has been pastor here 
for fifteen years* and he is almost bis 
people's idol* Jind now 1 have come to 
address myself to the duties of a pas* 
tor's wife* in which* although 1 have my 
mother as an example* T am so unlike 
her that the task does not seem an easy 
one* She began her married life mi sev* 
enteen* 1 begin mine at 1S«I9* Iflr.Burr 
has acguired the reputation here* of be* 
Ing a lover of hospitality* His door is 
always open* and his board always full* 



Sf^s|iN|M|i»i|a^^^^ 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 71 



f$e if a bountiful aiver, «nd tbouab bim* 
•elf «bf tettiious at tbe table, be wants 
to see it oenerouslv furnitbed, and as 
be bas tbe means to do it, 1 sball try to 
gratify bim ; tbougb it will be very mucb 
better provided tban our sum table, at 
my fatber's bouse, wbere everytbina 
was as simple and plain as possible* 
Cbougb in nortbampton and Stock- 
bridge, nir* and itlrs* €dwards were 
eareful to fulfill tbe iniunctions ''Use 
bospitality witbout grudging/' €be 
stranger was always welcome* « « 


















V husbandt tftr. Burr, bas 
persuaded me to tafie up 
Catin with bim* 1 bad 
learned it a little in our 
home at nortbampton, 
wbere was mucb teaching of tbe cla$« 
sics* JInd last evening be read witb me 
a letter of tbeKoman orator CicerOt ad« 
dressed in bis exile* **Zo l>is Dear 
Cerentia* fyls Cittle €ulliat and liis Oar* 
lina €icero/' ttlr* Burr believes it to be 
genuine* Itlr* Burr was speaking of 
Cicero's surprise tbat great calamity 
should have overtaken one* whose wife 
bad so faithfully worshipped thegodSt 
and who had himself been so service* 
able to man, and said it reminded him of 
what tbe Cempter says of tbe patriarcht 
*^Doth Job serve Ood for naught?'' 
Und then be remarked the effeminate 
sensibility of tbe writer, who says he 
would write oftener* did not writing 
make bis grief at their separation more 
Insupportable; drawing a parallel to 
their advantage with the words of Job : 
''Chough be slay me, yet will 1 trust in 
bim!" Chis is a habit with inr«Burr« 
It Is as though be carried the two 














ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



73 



IHwarUf 1752* 



C l)a$ been a great refre$l)» 
metit to tnv soul, to-dav« 
to bear aaain tttr, €dw?ards, 
«iv honored father, from the 
pulplU 1 still think, there is 
none like hfm* lie u;a@ corresponding 
member of the Presbyterian Sv^fi»oJ, 
which sat here, and he preached from 
Ilames T1=I9« It was especlallv gratefy! 
to his daughter to witness, in this 
strange land, how eagerly his words 
were received, especially by all of the 
ministers* Chere are those in two con» 
tinents who honor and revere his name, 
though northampton, in her worldly 
pride, cast him out and spat upon him« 
T never recall that, wfthowt thinl^lKg 
of how JIbsalom and those that felt 
with him, treated B^md the King in his 
exile from his throne* It was JSbsalom 
in both cases, a young upstart in his 
pride, who was most officious* T shall 
yet live to see how humbly some of 
those people will return with confession 
and tears* Chough this is not becoming 
in a minister's daughter and a minis= 
ter's wife* «««««« 















4f 




74 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



flewarkf 17S2. 

iK* Burr read to tnc ^aaiti 
from tbc letters of €fcero to 
bis wife and cbildreti. In 
tbi$ letter, as lllr* Burr 
translated it* occurs tbis 
passage : ''It is our very virtue, wbicb 
bas brouflbt us disgrace. Ule bave 
committed no otbcr fault tban tbat of 
surviving our oivn good fortune/' Cbe 
great Koman, lllr. Burr said, wonders 
tbat virtue sbould be so maligned and 
punisbed* €be greater Jlpostle could 
write to tbe elders of tbe cburcb Sii 
€t>besus : ^'Hone of tbese tbings move 
me, neitber count T my life dear unto 
me, so tbat T may finisb my course ivitb 
ioy/' Bnd a greater tban tbeHpostle 
bas put it among the beatitudes of liis 
kingdom : ^^Blessed are ye wben men 
sball revile you and persecute you and 
say all manner of evil against you false* 
ly for my sake/' Olbat a contrast be- 
tween tbe triumpbant Cbristian martyr, 
and tbe puzzled and discouraged feel- 
ing of tbe pagan pbilosopben Cerentia, 
as be bad said before, bad done wbat 
sbe could to appease tbe gods by ber 
piety, and be to propitiate tbe people by 
bis service* But, tbis combination of 



4* 
4f 

4» 

4v 



t 

4^ 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 75 



reliaioti and morality did ndt.i^rotect 
them* Chcy did not scent to knowt that 
Bed's real cbiSdrctt. are made {perfect 
ti^rouab suff erind* Cbis is the gbristiati 
mysfervt to wbicb the master itttro* 
duces us« «««««« 














^ K£i:t Kli-^ fvls^t < 

ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 




newarkt JlpriU 1753. 

MR, Burr ba$ \usi rode up to tbc 
door ott bis tlimrod, the sad^* 
die borset whicb be bad me 
^ name llimrod because be 
bad been a great bunter— 
and in wbicb we botb of us take mucb 
pride* r>e beckoned to me as 1 sat at 
tbe window witb my scwin^t and 1 6lid» 
ed down to pat llimrod's glossy neck, 
and to kiss tbe bandsome rider* F,c bas 
lust set out alone for Elizabetbf wbere 
once dwelt tbe l^ev* tllr. Dfckensout 
wbo was interested witb my busband in 
tbe founding of tbe new colUcge, and 
wbere is tbe residence of Governor Bel^ 
cber* Sometimes our colored man, 
liarry, wbo is very conceited about bis 
skill as a borseman, drives nir* Burr on 
sucb trips ; but, at tbis season of tbe 
year, tbe roads are so unsettled, I11r« 
Burr prefers tbe saddle. 1 bave come 
back to my sewing, but 7 keep tbe pic> 
ture of my knigbt in my mind's eye : tbe 
slender, but erect figure, tbe steed 
cbamping bis bit, witb mottled back 
and sides, and bis neck clotbed witb 
tbunder ; tbe graceful borseman— for T 












ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 77 




must come back to him-sittitig iti the 
saddle as fboudb bom tbcrc ; as tbouab 
borsc and man were but one, according 
to tbe classic conception of tbe centaun 


















^T 78 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL ll^> 

^^ ncwarkt D«c. 1754. ^'^ 

^^ „ '♦i* 

^^ gjl^^j^nuc bad a sivect and prccU ,^ 

^ ^K\5bK- ^*** letter from mv own dear ^'3*^ 

^¥ ^iMnR^ honored mother, full of sym* a^ 

m ?!Ka^G^ Pa*bv and appreciation* She ^^ 

^ftj^ r -rf*^^^^ writes of the sacred privll* ^|2^ 

Z ^0^ of motherhood, fndeedt 1 have z 

^gif heard her $av> that she should be ivll* 4l§^ 

^ Una to be the mother of chlldreut even if 3 

^T thev were to have no protracted life In l'^ 



^r thev were to have no protracted life In I'y 

^^ this world; she has such an exalted .^ 

^^ conception of their destiny hereafter* "^'^ 

^,^ ''Of such is the Kingdom of God*'* 4,^ 

€^ She cautions me tenderly as to theef* ^^ 

^if feet of the feelings and affections of the ^3j^ 

X mother upon the child unborn : and as« : 

^if sures uBCt as myself the daughter of ^1^ 

^ many prayers, that 1 may safely entrust ^ 

^r all my anxieties to a covenant 0od* t^ 

^x Chls was In answer to a letter. In which -.^ 

^&^ 1 had Intimated a happy secret, which ^^ 

^k Is flladdenind our Kewark home* 1 do a^S^ 

J not forflet that she herself seemed ^ 

^if especially to walk with €(od, when the 41^ 

Z advent of another member of her own Z 

^f family-circle was drawing niah* She 4l^ 

^. always seemed to feel that all her cbll- 3 

^r dren were gotten from tfy^ Eord, as the ^'^ 

^k first human mother e^tpresse s It* « tpL 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 79 



newarb, 3afi« 1754* 




s^s3^f^€ first year of my married 
IsfCt 1 often found myself 
comparing inr« Burr, my 
good busbandt u^itb ItSr* €d« 
wardSt my bonored fatber. 
I)avind al«vays beard my fatber preacb 
from my cbiidbood, and knowing tbat 
be Is reckoned a prince among tbe 
Cord's servants, tbis is not strange* T 
fbink my fatber more impressive and 
solemn ; but, lllr* Burr Is more IngratI* 
atlng, and captivating; bas more of 
ivbat people call eloquence* my bonor* 
ed fatber bas sucb rigid and intense 
earnestness, tbat be Is led almost to 
scorn all adornment of discourse, 
mbile of late years, writing on bis ab* 
stract treatises, and preacbing largely 
to tbe Indians of Stockbridge, wbo are 
but little demonstrative, be bas grown 
more and more careless of outward 
grace* Besides be is by nature more 
reserved* mn Burr's nature seems to 
bubble up and overflow Into ejcpression, 
taking on beaiutiful tinted sprays like 
tbe water of a fountain* l$e often seems 










to^« less a man commissi<yncd to wit* 
ness against tbc wickedness of a sinful 
worldt tt)an a celestial messender of tn< 
vitatlon winged to eartht bis face radi» 
ant, Ms eyes full of kindly fire and bis 
voice melody itself* Butt every man af* 
ter bis own order* Since 1738, siKteen 
years, .beginning witb bis twenty*t^if4 
year, be bas been pastor bere. • « 






^^ 





















ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 81 



newarht Hov* 25, 17S4« 

ly\% day 1$ tbe appointed day 
for our ivood carting* Che 
farmers in our parish bring 
load after load of wood from 
the parsonaae lot, and it is 
chopped up in the yard and made ready 
for the fire-place* Such a day of conf u> 
sion it has been ! Such a noise of driv» 
ing oxen, 1 hope we may never have for 
a twelve month sii least* « c c 

lle^t week, the Presbytery is to sit 
here, and it is expected they will dis> 
miss It2r« Burr from the church and 
congreflation, to give himself wholly to 
the care of the College* It is a severe 
strain upon us all* For here, as I have 
said before, he is almost idolized* But, 
he thinks of the demands upon young 
men, as godly ministers, and we are 
both willing to make the sacrifice* T 
can see plainly that it all goes back to 
successfully founding an institution 
where young men can be fitted for the 
Christian ministry; the long dream and 
prayer of lltr* €dwards as well as of 
himself* «««««« 













t 

4» 

4f 

4* 
«!»• 

t 

4* 

4f 



82 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



*§» 




ncwark, Dec, 1, 1754, 

XCK€ltl€CV burrtcd prcpar* 
f ttfl for the Presbytery. Cues« 
day provided a dinner and 
nobody came until afternoon* 
Enough to try a body*$ pati- 
ence. Tn tbe evenfnfl they came thick 
and fast. Presbytery sat on our affairs, 
and adjourned till January. Our people 
are in a areat pickle. $omeofthem 
show a very bad spirit. « « « 

Chursday: Dined ten ministers. 
Chis day. Presbytery examined a young 
candidate for the ministry for one of the 
Dutch Islands in the Ulest Indies. « 



flf4|^ 



"41^ 






V 

4* 



la^VMjj^alMlM^Hlt^MlialMlMSMlMli^ 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 83 




iteivarkt 3sti. I, I755, 

tfay set apart for fasting 
and prayer, en account ef 
the late encrcachntents cf 
the FrenefT» and their <Ie« 
signs against the British 
Colonies of Kmerica/' President Burr 
preached what was largely a historical 
discourse, gfvitfa the f retteh progress 
from the tinte of Henry 1U« Chcsc were 
the closing paragraphs : 

^'Shall ive tamely suffer our delight^ 
ful possessions to be taken from us ? 
become the dupes and the slaves of a 
Trench tyrant ? 6od forbid! *Ci$ high 
time to awakCt to call up all the Briton 
within ust every spark of English valor, 
cheerfully to offer up our purses, our 
arms, and our lives to the defence of 
our country, our holy religion, our ex= 
cellent constitution, and invaluable Hb- 
erties* Tor whatisCtfe without Eibtr* 
ty? Xis not worth having* J1 free- 
born Briton should disdain the life of a 
9lnvc* Better, far better to sacrifice 
it to the defence of our liberty and 
country, than to survive the dismal 







^ 











ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 










davt ivben these redions of lidbt and 
liberty shall be overspread with iotior> 
ante, superstitiotit and tyranny* JHnd 
bad ive but the spirit of oiir brave an> 
cestorst who cheerfully ventured their 
lives, and resigned all the comforts 
thereof in an bowling wiSdernesSt were 
we animated by the same heroic spirit 
in defence of them, with the same ar> 
dent desire of leaving them inviolate to 
posterity, we should soon make our en- 
emies flee before us, and again sit 
quietly under our own vines and fig- 
trees, gnd eat of the good of the land !'' 


















ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 85 



OnDliV» January 12, 17S6«- 
mr* Burr ootic !• new Vork, 
and T as busy as a bee* « 

Cuesday €ve«— Cbis eve 
miss Sukey, our wencb, be^an with me 
about bcr souFs concern* Jfind T find 
sbe bas bad a areat many serious 
tboudbts since sbe bas been bere* Sbe 
is full of ber inquiries as to wbat sbe 
must do to be good* Sbe tells me sbe 
tries to pray from tbe beart> but finds 
sbe can't, and sbe seems to bave some 
sense of sin* liow my beart is reioiced! 
O tbat God would give us tbis one soul ! 
It seems as if T could not be denied my 
request, tbat 6od would perfect tbe 
good work tbat seems to bave begun in 
ber wbilst in tbis bouse* O bow great a 
blessing upon us! 1 bope God bas 
beard some of my poor prayers for ber* 
JInd 1 bope for a beart to pray more 
earnestly for ber tban ever* Uibat a 
comfort to see tbose under our care in- 
clining to tbe ways of religion and true 
virtue* ««««««« 

marcb 26, 1756*—! was unexpected- 
ly delivered of a son tbe 6tb of Tebru- 
ary* l^ad a fine time, altbougb it pleas- 
ed God in infinite wisdom to order tbat 



















86 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 4l^ 









inr« Burr iva$ not at bomc« It seemed 
very gloomy when T found my time bad 
come, to think that 1 was, as it were, ^ 

destitute of earthly friends* no mother, ^l^^ 
no husband, and none of my particular - 

friends that belong to the town; they 
happening to be out of town* But O my 
dear 6od was all these relations and 
more than all to me in the hour of my 
distress* Chose words in Psalms were 
my support and comfort through the 
whole: 'Xhey that trust in the Cord ^ 

shall be as lltt* Zion that cannot be 4l^ 
moved, but abideth forever;'' and these 2 

also, ^'Jls the mountains are round 4l^ 
about Jerusalem, so Is the Cord round 
about them that trust in I5im,'' or words 
to that purpose* « c c « « 
1 had a very ^uick and good time, a 
very good lying in till about three 
weeks, then I had the canker very bad, ^ 

and before 1 had recovered of that my ^Sj^ 
little Jiaron (for so we call him) was ta* i 

ken sick, so that for some time we did 4l9 
not expect his life* lie has never been .jL 

so well since, though he is comfortable ^1r 
at present* 1 have myself got a very ±^^ 
bad cold and very sore eyes, which ^ 
makes it very difficult for me to write at ^|4^ 
all ; sometimes T am almost blind* « 2 



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ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 87 



Hprfl I7» I756«-T have writUn to 
miss Pridce of Boston to please pro> 
cure for ttie the folloivitid things : 6 fan 
mounts* two good ones for ivory sticks, 
two black and white and two white 
ones ; In4 !&. gum arahic, one large pen- 
cil and one short one, one dozen of 
short cake pans, my milk«pot altered to 
some shape or other, a pair of coral 
beads, some cod<:fish, patterns of caps, 
(not ye airy caps for beaux), send me 
word how to cut ruffles and handker- 
chiefs, send word how they make 
gowns. 1 send by mr« Burn « « 

Jlpril 19, I756.— nir. Burr has set out 
for Boston* T need not wrfteht^w lone- 
some the house and ei^ei'ythihg about it 
appears, nor could T if T would* Eittle 
Sally observing my gloom upon Ittr* 
Burr's leaving me, sets herself prettily 
as 1 think to comfort me. $he imagined 
T was sick. She says, ''mamma, poor 
mamma is sick. Don't be sick, mam- 
ma. Papa ain't gone." iipon this 1 
smiled; the little creature's eyes sparkl- 
ed for loy and she says in transport, 
mamma ain't sick. Dear mamma,' 
etc. « « « « c « c 



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ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



Tebruarv 20, 1757^-lllr Burr was 
sent for the €olUflc about daritt and 
ivl)cn he tame there he found about 
twenty Wouna men in one room, crvina 
and be^gina to know what they should 
do to be saved* ?our of them under the 
deepest sense of their wicked hearts 
and need of €hH$t; Tancuil amongst 
the rest« liow it will reioice his good 
mother's heart, lllr. Burr prayed and 
talked in the best manner he could, and 
left them to come home greatly affected* 
iUe sat and talked till late and knew not 
how to lay by the glorious subiect* « 

Feb. 21, 1757.-6ood news to write 
you this morning. H minister's son 
near Philadelphia hopefully received 
comfort last night in the night. Chere 
was little sleep amongst them ; some up 
all night. Illr. Spencer sat up till one 
o'clock, then left those poor young crea* 
tures seeking 6od. Che conversion of 
this young Crcat, for that Is his name, 
is a very dear and remarkable one. Che 
particulars 1 have not heard, but Illr. 
Burr says he thinks evidently « work 
of grace. f)ehas been under some im> 
pressions for more than a year, but his 
concern has increased lately. « « 











ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 89 



10 O'clock: Jfl pious young man 
came from tbc College for nir. Burr« V)e 
tells me tbat a great part of tbe $cl?o1« 
ars are gathered into one rocm* crvit^^g 
in great distresSt and that another bad 
received comfort* Oh> my heart e^sults 
at the thought that 6od is about to re- 
vive religion in general* may u?e not 
hope for it ? my soul doth magnify the 
Cord for what fyc hath done* « « 

Cve: Che Cord's work goes on g1o» 
riously in the College* mr* Burr sent 
for mr* Cennent of Freehold to come 
and assist in drawing the net ashore* 
for it is ready to break with the abund> 
ance of the fish that are caught in it* 
liust now he came to the College and is 
greatly reloiced* « « « « c 

9 O'clock t no work carried on here, 
but only to get something io eatt and a 
little of that will suffice too* For my 
part 1 haven't any creature to say one 
word to, and when 1 am ready to burst, 
1 have recourse to my pen* « c 

mr* Cennent is astonished and 
amazed, between ioy, sorrow, hope and 
fear, and says he doesn't know what 
passion is uppermost, but he must call 
it an angelic Ioy that he feels, which is 












^If 90 ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL ^^ 

4^ 4|» 

^^ the case with us all. Itlv brother is uti- ^^ 

^If dcr a great deal of concerts among the ^3j^ 

i rest* ««««««« Z 

^f Ob wbat shall T render to the Cord 4i9 

^ for f^is goodness in pouring out Dis X 

^f Spirit in such a wonderful degree ! « tI^ 

^''^ Cuesdavt Feb* 52, I757*-T ant ready ^'S^ 

^1^ to set up my Cabernacle and say, ^J^ 

^'^ •♦Cord, It is good to be here/' Indeed, ^^ 

^^ the thoughts of living have never been ^^ 

Z so comfortable to me as now* Che 2 

^f Cord is indeed here* « « « « 4^9 

^f lUednesdayt Hug* 31, 4 o'clock P* in* ^^ 

^ik — 3ust now 1 received a letter with a iJL 

^'^ black seal, but it contained blacker ^^ 

^^ news* Gov* Belcher is dead ; died this a^ 

^ Jl*in* Che righteous are taken away ^ 

^f from the evil to come* Chis is sueh a 4^ 

X loss, that we cannot expect to have Z 

^f made up in a Governor* 1 feel guite 4^ 

^ sunk with this and other bad news* ff^is ^j|^ 

^r Cordship is returning to new Vork, and ^^ 

j^,> then fialifax will be taken no doubt* ApL 

^^ eve : nir* Burr not returned* Deavy ^^ 

^^ news nir* Belcher's death will be to aA^ 

S bim* «««««•« Z 

S Chursday, Eve, Sept. I, 1757*— Illr. i 




ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 91 



Burr returned in health* O bow flood 
is 8od in preserving bim in bis doinas 
out and bis comings in ! Cbese mercies 
ouabt not to be forgotten by me* « 

lllr. Burr, is sent for to preacb tbe 
Governor's funeral sermon* P* m.t JI 
deal of company* « c « « 

Triday JI* in*— Tf we go to Boston we 
sball be tbere by tbe second week in 
October* « « c « c « 

now about Sally and JIaron* Sally 
bas got pretty bearty again, and is not 
mucb of a baby ; affects to be tbougbt a 
woman* notbing sbe scorns more 
tban to be told sbe is a cbild or baby* 
Ole are about sending ber to scbool, 
but mr* Burr eacpects sbe will prove a 
numb bead* But for my part, 1 tbink 
ber about middling in all accounts* Sbe 
grows tbinner and more sbapeable* T 
bave taken ber to meeting and sbe be- 
baves very well, and can give a good 
account of wbat papa does tbere. Sbe 
can say some of Dr* Olatts' verses by 
beart and tbe Cord's Prayer and some 
otber prayers* But sbe is not over apt 
about tbe matter* « « « « 












m 





m 















92 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 




M 



Haron Is a little, dirtVt noisy boy* 
very different from Sally almost in ev^ 
erytbing* f)e begins to talk a littie, is 
very sly, miscbievous, and bas more 
spridbtliness tban Sally. 1 must say, 
be is bandsomer, but not so good tern* 
pered« f)e is very resolute, and requires 
a flord governor to bring bim to terms* 



f%¥^ 











ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 93 










Priticctotit SzpU 2, 17S7. 

|V dear btssband, mn Burr, 
Is preparing a funeral dis- 
course in memory of Gover* 
nor Belcher of 6!izabetb> 
town, ivbo died JIudustSK 
1 have besouabtbim to spare bimself 
tbe undertaking* CO'day be bas been 
dettina tbe sermon ready, and to^mor- 
row be will ride forty miles to deliver it, 
on tbe 4tb instant, wben be sbould be 
lying upon a sick bed, and nursed witb 
tbe greatest care at borne* T fear tbe 
worst* ««««««« 

September Stb^-lllr* Burr bas re- 
turned, but, alas, bis fever wbicb was 
at first of an intermitent kind bas set- 
tled into one affeciing tbe brain, and be 
is mucb of tbe time in delirium* l bave 
often been alarmed to tbink God migbt 
take bim from me* T bope 6od will belp 
me witb Ris band, sbould tbis awful 
dispensation come to me* l)e bas an 
infinite rigbt to l)is own* « « « 



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94 



ESTHER BURR'S JOURNAL 



Princctotit Oct* 7, 1757* 



Ml' 



, $ba11 T attempt to dc<: 
i It? God oiilv can 
. UPbat can be written 
set fortb tbe affliction 
of a poor disconsolate 
widow and two f atberless ones ? 1 bave 
lost all tbat could be desired in a crea« 
ture* 1 bave lost all tbat 1 ever set my 
beart on. In tbis world* In bis eulodi' 
um, Gov. Eivinaston said : **€ease not 
to weep an anael, wbom you loved a 
man/' Obt 1 am afraid 1 sball conduct 
myself so as to bring disbonor to my 
6od, and tbe religion 1 profess, no, let 
me ratber die, tbIs moment. 1 am over- 
come. Co God only will 1 carry my com- 
plaint. 1 will speak it to bis glory, tbat 
1 tbink lie bas in an uncommon degree 
discovered liimself to be an all-suffici- 
ent God, a full fountain of good. « 




4v 






